[Official]Questions for Geof : The answers !

[Alaster]

Ok, Geof so answered on the french site about the questions we were wondered.

Here is the french answers and there a google translation of the page... yep, not a good one, I know, but sorry, I don't have time for a better one.

Hopes that Mathieu will do better soon


[EDIT] Thanks a lot Mathieu

[mathieu]

I'll go by sections.
First up, questions about production, miniatures,...

Models

Will Cipher publish the figures in plastic or metal?
Most likely metal. They are used to working with this material we are sending them our production molds so they may save time for their re-productions. But I can not guarantee they won't feel like releasing resin models... We thought about it ourselves for large pieces that'd have been too expensive in metal.


Will we ever see the alternate Retiarius, Hashishin, Fencer, and Succubus models?
No idea. Some of these models actually already exist, but it is now Cipher's choice to decide on what they'd like to release. However, I think they will take advantage of these models with existing masters.


I assume the existing factions will continue to be developed. From September 2009 to September 2010, how many new profiles per faction do you expect to see released?
Yes of course the existing factions will keep on being developed, in fact I forwarded Cipher the concepts on which we had been working for the coming year. Now keep in mind that Cipher will start working on the U.S. market first, even if it is clear they won't forget the other existing ones. This implies it will take a little while for them to get all the existing releases out, so at first they will release less new releases than we were able to do.


Will out of stock models, like Tarik, be produced again?
Yes


Will Cipher keep the ideas of new models that were once mentioned (e.g. the samurai, the Lost monkey sub-faction, the buddy of Wormhole,…)?
It'll be up to Cipher to decide on the future development of the range, I don't see myself pass HD on to them without allowing them to make creative choices. But obviously I think they are primarily using the concepts on which we were working... If only because a large part of the work had already been done.


Will the existing models be produced again, and in what format (blister, company box, etc...)?
Yes, they will be produced again, but as for the packaging you'll have to ask Cipher.


Will the prices change? ($1 = 1€)? (translator's note: for the French/European market)
No idea ... I don't know what the production constraints of Cipher are, not mentioning that they'll have to ship stuff to Europe, which has a significant cost.


Will promotional models be produced again?
Again, this is something you'll have to ask Cipher. I don't have a problem with the idea, and Cipher will have the production molds and the masters if they ever decide to do so.

[mathieu]

Game / Gaming System:

To what point will the original development team be maintained?
Part of the deal is that Cipher will continue to work with the team of sculptors who made Hell Dorado the game it is. As for the team of writers, things are far more complicated since it is obvious that Cipher will prefer to write texts in-house rather than receive them in French and have to translate them.
As for me, I immediately told them I would be available to give them the ideas I had about the evolution of the range, the world, and the system. But I'll completely understand if Cipher feels like completely owning the baby. It'd be normal and in the end rather reassuring as it will imply a real involvement in the game rather than just the use of an existing license.


Will the original development team continue to sculpt and write or will they only be consultants?
The sculptors will probably continue to sculpt while I'll probably stick with advising/consulting. Other people revolving around the game and mastering the more technical aspects of the rules might keep working in the background as I am convinced Cipher will want all the skills and goodwill they can use.


Does Cipher plan on publishing 1635 cards and rules?
Most likely, but you'll have to ask them.


Will the game be published in its 1634 version or will they directly switch to 1635?
I think they'll directly publish the 1635 version of the rules, that is what I suggested them to do as I don't see the point of using 1634 rules any longer.


Is it planned to change the game system such that it gets closer to the one of Anima?
Not at all, or rather we never talked about such a thing. I believe that for every game there is one corresponding system. Because the game requires a specific rhythm and atmosphere. Now I can't speak for Cipher, the idea is still for the game to become theirs.


If the rumors of the investor being American are true, does it mean that the game will become more politically correct?
Cipher is indeed a US publisher. Frankly I don't know if they'll soften the game. I think that if they wanted to get it, they probably like its sulfurous atmosphere. Now it might not go as far as where I was starting to go (in particular for the Demons as I was envisioning them with Eurynome).
So yes, probably a game a bit softer, a bit less provocative (probably no more p69 type picture). But at the same type the US are the country of "Cannibal Holocaust", of "The Thing",… I mean, it's time to stop believing they are all mormons. As for me, I am not too worried.


Will the game system change?
No idea. Quite frankly, it'd need some dusting and rewriting. Now it'll be up to Cipher to decide on the new direction they want to give the game. And I think that, at least at first, it will be easier to rely on what exists.


Is there an expansion planned (with new faction and new models)?
We already finalized a deal, now they must start producing and establishing the game on their market… That's a lot of work ahead before a possible expansion.


Will the immortals be integrated in the future English rulebook?
I don't know, I don't control their editorial choices. However I think it would be a very good idea and that is what I suggested them to do.


Will there be English card packs for each faction? Many players wish to get official, printed english cards for models they already possess
Most likely, this is something we discussed. Now Cipher has to evaluate the opportunity and the feasibility of such a thing.

[mathieu]

Background:

Will the background of the game continue to be developed?
I hope so. I still had quite a few ideas. We talk about them a lot with Thomas and Pierre (the authors of the two novels...). But again the decision will be Cipher's.


Will the sub-factions be maintained? Are new factions planned in the near future?
Like I said, Cipher will probably want to start the game in the US with what already exists (with a few new releases) before doing actual development. But Cipher is very interested in what we had planned for the future, so without assuming too much I think I can say that yes, the development of the range will at first roughly follow what we had originally planned.
However I wasn't planning on releasing a new faction in the near future. Perhaps CIpher will want to, once again you'll have to ask them.


Is the project of a campaign system (like Mordheim!) still part of the future developments of the game?
I think the Chronicles of Zaebas have been a strength in the development of the game, and we were planning on creating a system of evolution of the companies and of the models, with an Avatar,… I can obviously only suggest Cipher to continue along this path and transmit them what I had already written on the matter.


Cipher Studios mentioned they might remove some 'provocative' artwork / texts. Will the french versions stay unaffected?
It turns out that the French version will now be a translation from English, so it is likely that it will be identical to the English version.

[mathieu]

Distribution:

Will the French releases be disadvantaged to favor the more numerous English-speaking players?
I don't think you should see it as a sort of conspiracy of English-speaking players targeting French-speaking ones. Simply put, our factory was in France, it was therefore easier (and cheaper) for us to feed the French market. Cipher's factory is in the US, it is therefore more than likely that Old Europe get the products after the US, and that the cost be affected by shipping.


Will the rules be published in French?
It is likely, but for now it still isn't for sure. In any case, they would probably not be published by Asmodée but more likely by Ubik, the usual distributor of Cipher in France.


Will there be cards in French or will we have to start learning English?
I think they will be translated ... but once again I have no certainty.


Is there an estimated release date for the first reinforcements? (I feel for our most unhappy immortals who feel quite lonely). Will we have new models this year (2009) or will we have to wait until 2010?
I think Cipher would want to have their first news out at the end of 2009. And I think the first new release will be a Westerner (they have the concept of the Dopplesöldner Officer).


How will we be able to get new releases in Belgium (or in France)? (LGS, online stores,…)
No idea, but I believe that Ubik (Millennium) distribution has distributors in Belgium.


Will the models be available everywhere at the same time (U.S., Europe, etc.)?
We are working to ensure that the figures are distributed everywhere since my job at the moment is to find distributors to facilitate the deal with Cipher.
However, the simultaneity of distribution is an utopia. I think we should expect a delay of two to six weeks between US and European releases.


Will Asmodée handle the distribution of the range developed by Cipher Studios?
No, it should be the job of Ubik (Millennium). Even if some of us are still paddling the other way, Asmodée is leaving the core gaming shores.


Website:

Will this board continue to be THE official Helldorado forum, or will Cipher open their own?
I am ready to give them the keys. The question is whether they'll prefer to create their own forum, you'll have to ask them.

[mathieu]

Website:

Will this board continue to be THE official Helldorado forum, or will Cipher open their own?
I am ready to give them the keys. The question is whether they'll prefer to create their own forum, you'll have to ask them.


Organized Play / pioneers

Will the storyline tournaments and the organized play systems be maintained?
I recommended Cipher to keep them, but they will the the only ones to handle the whole thing, with all the investments that implies. Perhaps will they be interested in relying on the existing gaming club network.


Will the campaign system (Chronicles of Zaebas) continue the same way?
I will recommend  it to Cipher but the decision will be up to them.


Will Asmodée do "Official" tournament since they are distributors?
No, because we are no longer distributors.


Even if there are no official tournaments to go along with it, any chance that something such as the Zeabas-Campaign will continue?
Frankly I find the concept fun and I will recommend Cipher to develop it, but once again it'll be up to them.


What will the pioneers become with the new buyer?
They will be whipped in public ... No really, no idea. Once again I think it would be smart for Cipher to rely on an existing network, and our discussions lead me to believe that is what they want to do… But will they have the time, energy, and desire to do so, I don't know.


Will the system of prima materiae be maintained?
No idea. I think Cipher liked the idea, but they'll have to evaluate the cost and the required investments before continuing.


Will Cipher have one or several interlocutors for organized play? How will the latter change (if it doesn't disappear altogether)?
As I said before… I think Cipher wants to rely on the existing networks rather than start everything over from scratch, and I have already forwarded them the contact info of active members of the community.

[mathieu]

Other:

From a very personal point of view, what do you think of this buyer?
It was the only really serious one to me. The only one who seemed to want the license to develop it rather than just exploit it. Furthermore they are used to producing miniatures (for Anima) and are perfectly aware of the economic constraints unique to this business (which was absolutely not our the case...). So I find them very serious... In fact we are the ones who've been tripping and slowing things down in this deal…


Will CIpher release the novels as well?
No idea ... but I will pass the files on.


Will CIpher sell the existing game mats?
No idea. But we didn't do it ourselves. We gave the image files to the producer because it was cheaper for players to go buy them directly from him, while they'd have been prohibitively expensive if we had tried to sell them even with a tiny margin.

Some time ago it was hinted at the possibility of 54mm miniatures / busts (only meant for painting) - any hopes such things might be produced in the not too distant future?
In the near future… fat chance. In the distant future… why not. Reviving a project like Hell Dorado is already a huge job, so this kind of side product will absolutely be not a priority in my opinion.

You seemed to have a very strong of view on how the game is meant to be. You gave an outlook on the future of HD before the dire news of asmodée's decision to stop publishing HD. Do you think you can follow that vision still given the changes due to the new publisher?
I fully accept the idea that if I'm probably still going to have my little say on the future of the game, it will nevertheless naturally go away from me. This is how things go and in the end I find it rather pleasing. By getting into the hands of other authors, the game will be able to renew, change, grow in new directions. This will be neither better nor worse, just different.

[occa]

Well I for one would like to thank Geof and all the people at Asmodee for creating such a great game, miniatures and universe for us.

[Silveri]

Took a while, but the answers arrived and lot of questions accounted for. Unfortunately most of the answers were "Don't know, ask Cipher".

Soo.... Mr. Cipher Kai, would you wish to reveal your own plans regarding the questions that Geof was unable to answer?

[Alaster]

Here the answers by Cipher-Studio !